


broken and alone

by aestheticrobin



Category: Artemis: Requiem (Comics), DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Artemis Centric, Artemis of Bana-Mighdall is Done, Idk what to tag here, Light Angst, Tags Are Hard, based off of that artemis' name origin headcanon, finally something artemis centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-04-24 07:13:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19168360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aestheticrobin/pseuds/aestheticrobin
Summary: " one day, mother, i will show youthe warrior i was born to be "- in which a third rate amazon has to fight twice harder than everyone to prove she's worth something





	broken and alone

**Author's Note:**

> something quick that i have no idea of how or why i wrote it ,, but it is based of both canon requiem and rhato info on her past, as well as a headcanon i saw on twitter about the origin of her name
> 
> so yeah, enjoy it

She got to the top of the hill and laid down, the heated sand warming her body as her teary eyes watched the sun go down.

On days like these, Artemis wondered how she was still alive, how she managed to go through another day.

"Happy birthday to me" she whispered, hugging herself. "I am very sorry, mother..."

She sat up, hugging her knees and letting the tears finally fall free. No one could hear her there, so she cried and sobbed for as long as she wanted. Not that anyone would care if they saw her in such a deplorable state, at least not anymore, Artemis was still a curse to her homeland.

Her mother had died during childbirth, so that's why they named her after the goddess Artemis: to remind them of the Gods that had long ago abandoned their tribe. Having a Greek name and worshipping Egyptian divinities wasn't a good starter.

She was soon left to grow up on her own. They felt as if she wasn't one of their own, as if Artemis was a curse sent from the Gods to remind the tribe they weren't worthy, when actually, Artemis was just a poor lonely child.

There was a gleam in her eye everytime she could sneak in fighting classes and watch them from far away. She copied every single movement perfectly, a true fast learner. She hoped that, once they saw how good she was, maybe they would finally accept her as one of their own.

She spent her days running barefoot in the sand, with her imaginary friends, until other kids started making fun of her and saying mean things. It was then that life made her grow up too early and so young Artemis found joy being by herself, enjoying the sun and studying the moon.

The guilt she carried inside her since the first day she set foot in this world weighed more than anything ever could. She felt guilty for the miserable life she had, and more than that, Artemis felt guilty about her mother's death. She didn't get to meet her, or if she did, she surely didn't remember her first minutes of life. Although, her mother was the person she loved the most in this world - and the only one.

So Artemis fell asleep, rocked by the sand and the wind, pretending she was a happy child being cradled to sleep by her loving mother.

She then grew older, eager and arrogant. The loneliness had forced Artemis to build walls around her. She would fullfil her mother's wish, she would become their greatest warrior. She would be so great that they would regret everything they had done - or more, hadn't done - to her all those years. They wouldn't see her as a curse anymore, but rather, as a blessing.

Artemis was going to be the Shim'Tar and wield the Bow of Ra. Until Nephthys shoved her away from that idea. A warrior doesn't choose her weapon, the weapon chooses her.

So she wandered back through the desert empty handed. Rage boiled inside her, the only thing she could fight for in life taken away from her, just like everything else.

But Artemis was stubborn. She wouldn't give up.

Looking at her thin and weak body, Artemis decided she would work herself to the limit. She would fight to be their champion, even if it meant working twice harder than everyone.

She trained everyday, from dusk to dawn, non-stop. There was only one thing in her mind: become good. Because deep down, all Artemis ever wanted was to be accepted and to be loved.

Until one day.

One day. That day.

Artemis couldn't believe someone was actually having a conversation with her, other than shooing or insulting her.

Her name was Akila, and she was Artemis' first friend. Akila didn't care about what others said, and she didn't believe Artemis was anything close to a curse. She saw her as one of their sisters, and Artemis could only smile at that.

They eventually fell in love with each other, but the renegade role Artemis carried forced them to meet each other in secret. Still, Akila always made sure Artemis was fine. She was the only one who ever truly cared.

One day, Akila just vanished, and when she came back, she was on duty from the Gods.

She had done it. Akila had become the Shim'Tar.

Even though her heart broke a little, Artemis was happy. She loved Akila, and all she wanted for her was for her to be happy.

So she became distant. They almost never saw each other anymore, and it weighed on Artemis' heart, but she was used to it. And Akila was fine. That was all that mattered.

Until the power was too much for her to handle and she broke. Artemis lost everything she had. She lost Akila to the Gods.

Her mind and heart became a turmoil. How could she be considered a curse when the Gods they worshipped destroyed their home and one of their sisters?

She couldn't understand, so she raised her walls back up. She was all alone again. Seeking comfort in the desert.

"What did I do to deserve this?" she faced the darkening skies, tears streaming down her face. "Please, tell me why! Why do I have to live like this... Why..."

She closed her eyes, and for a brief moment, she wished the Gods came and took her life. Her freshly open wounds stung as the fresh breeze hit her skin. She shouldn't have gone, she knew she shouldn't, but her stubbornness had to guide her, as always.

It wasn't worthy of an Amazon to wish death to come upon herself, but they didn't even seem to consider her one. In any way, Artemis didn't care about anything anymore, and it hadn't been the first time this thought had crossed her mind.

Lost in her train of dark thoughts, she was pulled out of it when she felt something brush against her leg. Looking down, she saw a little fragile ball of fur, sad eyes and a tilted head looking up at her. She wiped away her tears and moved her hand to pet the creature's head.

"What are you doing here? This is nothing but desert, you should be down there" she brushed the sand dust off of her fur smoothly. "No one wants you either, huh?"

The small pet rubbed it's head against her thigh. Artemis wrapped her arms around the dog and placed it on her lap, running a hand over her back.

"Join the club" she said, facing the horizon and the lights from far away lighting Bana-Mighdall in the corner of her eye.

"Another year..." she sighed, and looked back down at the small creature, almost asleep in her lap. "What do you say we leave? It seems there was never anything for us here"

She laid back down, the tiny pet crawling up to her chest and settling down there. Artemis wrapped her arms around it and closed her eyes, soon drifting away to sleep.

The next day she was up with the first rays of sunlight. Throwing the strap of her bag over her shoulder and carrying the still sleeping dog in her arms, Artemis looked down to Bana-Mighdall one last time, then up to the sky.

"Forgive me, mother, for letting you down" a single tear slid down her face. "You gave this world a warrior, but not a champion..."

She quickly wiped the year away and made her way down the hill, through the whole desert and to wherever the winds and the sand took her.

Artemis soon decided she would name her new pet friend Akila. After all, that was all she knew. 

Her. Akila.

And soon the winds took her to a dark place called Gotham City. She had heard about it and its mystical villains and vigilantes, but a certain one caught her attention. 

Red Hood.

He didn't want justice, he wanted vengeance. He wanted to cut the bad through the root. He wanted to be a champion.

He was the black sheep, no hero to the eyes of those he loved and cared about.

He was a reflection of Artemis.

Luckily enough, their paths would cross soon.

And she would finally be the champion she always urged to be.

**Author's Note:**

> lemme know what you think :)


End file.
